Hitmen set for tonight’s Game 5
I don’t want to sit on the bench for four weeks … but it’s not up to me, it’s up to the doctors
PAVLO PADAKIN
Like many, Pavlo Padakin has the dream.
Playing his first season in the Western Hockey League, his second in North America, the 18-yearold Ukrainian import wants to be drafted to a National Hockey League club. And, of course, playing with the Calgary Hitmen who enjoy the luxuries of an NHL building only makes him want it more.
But after being helped off the ice in Game 2 of Calgary’s WHL Eastern Conference semifinal series against the Red Deer Rebels — a victim of a kneeing incident from forward Matt Bellerive — Padakin is now sidelined in the most important time of the year. And although the everpresent NHL scouts talk, nothing speaks louder than what happens on the ice.
“Playoffs is a good time to show more than you did in the regular season,” Padakin was saying the other day after a session on the stationary bike, working out his bum knee with Hitmen athletic therapist Will McMillan. “I played a couple of games in the playoffs and then I get an injury. It’s like, ‘Ugh.’ The guy (Bellerive) got two game suspended but it’s not like me … I’m gone for four to six weeks. But it’s better than nothing.”
Better than nothing meant that the Rebels were without Bellerive for Games 3 and 4 earlier this week at Red Deer’s Enmax Centrium. They extended their playoff life, capturing Monday’s Game 3, 2-1 in overtime, but Calgary responded the following night with a 3-2 victory of their own in overtime to go ahead 3-1 in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinal series.
On Thursday, the Hitmen can finish things off as Bellerive returns to the lineup. Padakin, meanwhile, does not. But the thing is, he still considers himself lucky.
Having spent a full 72-game regular season with the Hitmen after a season with the Fairbanks Ice Dogs of the North American Hockey League, the daily reminder of the professional game is just a few doors down from the team dressing room and present at every game they play.
“When I came here, I didn’t know this hockey,” said Padakin who was drafted 50th overall in last summer’s CHL import draft. “Last year, I played in the North American Hockey League. You come here and there’s like 50 scouts every night. You try to do something special so they can see I can do something interesting. After three months, I found I can play really good on PK and in the offensive zone. For fans and coaches, it’s so interesting that a European player play tough and fights and is aggressive near the goalies.”
It’s true. Padakin’s blend of strength, mettle (he had five of Calgary’s 75 total fighting majors this season) and skill does make him unique. He also contributed 22 goals and 16 assists in 70 games (including three power play goals, a short-handed marker, and two game-winners), was a plus-13 and had 85 penalty minutes.
So, you never know where the scouts have him slotted into the mix.
“Of course, I’m hoping to be drafted to the NHL,” he said. “Every guy dreams of it. It doesn’t matter, the first or seventh round. To just be drafted … especially for me. When I was drafted by the Hitmen, I was like the eighth European guy that was drafted from Ukraine. We don’t have really good players, it’s a pretty small hockey country.”
In the NHL today, there’s only three active Ukrainian players, including Flames defenceman Anton Babchuk. But those thoughts, for the moment, are put on the back burner as Padakin concentrates on rehabbing his knee.
He’s not alone in sick bay. Anaheim Ducks prospect and Hitmen defenceman Kenton Helgesen broke his hand blocking a shot against Swift Current, while forward Colten Mayor was sidelined from Game 4 for precautionary reasons.
Not great, but last year at this time Calgary lost the services of top centre Victor Rask and captain Cody Sylvester and were ousted in the first round of playoffs by the Brandon Wheat Kings.
The good news is Helgesen is skating again and getting closer to a return while Padakin could return sooner than originally diagnosed.
“You want to help your team,” the six-foot-one, 192-pound right winger groaned. “It’s pretty bad to watch games. When they lost (Monday), it was pretty bad.
“But I don’t want to put my head down and think, ‘Oh, I can’t do anything.’ You just continue to work out and be with the team and be positive. I don’t want to sit on the bench for four weeks … but it’s not up to me, it’s up to the doctors.”